Switch and overhead system



massws Aug. 2-11, 1923;

S. S. MATTHES swn cn AND OVERHEAD SYSTEM Filed Auz. 2. 1922 Patented Au 21, was.

onto

,saMUEL s.'=,rrarrnns, or raansrrnnn,

, a srenon l tti fitti roirnn onionnass ooivrranv,

SWITCH AND UIVEBHEillJ SYSTEM.

Application filed August 2, 1&22.

To all whom it may concern 7 Switch and Overhead System of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to supporting devices for trolley wires and relates more pan ticularlyj to that class switch, frog or crossover whereby the direction of travel of the'trolley wheel with respect to the trolley wire is changedyor thepath oi the trolley wheel is maintained at the point of crossing another conductor.

Alsomy invention relates to anoverhead construction in which such frogs, crossings or switchesrare used and whereby in trackless trolley operation utilizing two overhead current collectors, the trolley bus can make a complete turn for a return journey.

With the advent of what is known as trackless trolley operation where thetrolley roadway and to wire, 11) is found bus must operate on the either .side of the trolley that some positive means must he installed at the points oiturnout or crossing to prop erly guide the current collectors which conduct the current from the trolley wire to the trolley bu so that they will maintain contact with the'proper trolley wire or maintain a proper direction of t The object ofmy device is that of causing the trolley wheel to take the proper direction of travel at a turnout or to maintain the proper direction of travel at a crossing.

Another object of my invention is an overhead system for a loop return in which two trolley wires are used of different P0131). ity such that the vehicle may make a com plete turn and start on its return journey without the necessity of any attention whats sever being given the current collectors which are in contact with the trolley wires. My invention resides 1n the novel con: struction, arrangement and comhlnation oi various parts as herein more fully described and set forth in thisspecification and in the accompanying drawing. 7

in the drawing accompanying the specification:

Figure 1 is bottom plan view of a de vice iter maintaining. the direction of travel.

; .1ig. '1 with direction-A and showingthe dev ce for compelling of device called posits that shown wires X 1? 1 there are spring in contact with the post Serial Nb. $29,154.

ofthe-trolleywheel where two conductors cross each other.

:hlg. 2 1S as deyiew of 'Figfl with a portion' of: the sideflange broken away.

7 Fig. dis a vicwotthe device shown in a trolley w-heeltraveling in the rthe operation of the trolley wheel to take its proper course.

Fig. is is view oi'ithe device shown in Eigml inzwhichzthe trolley wheel is travelingin the direct-ionillythat is, directly opin higwBf 1 i 5 is a schematic drawing showing li r'lg'. how the device in Fig. 1 i used inconnection with a: loop arrangement of the trolley wire, and also devices causingthe direction-of the trolley wheel to be I shows two "turnout positively changed, but employing the same principle 1 of construction as usedin Figs. 1 toe, inclusive.

In my preferrediorm of constructinga crossing shown in Figs, .1 to 4:, inclusive, 1 eniploya body member 1-which hasa base plate 2 and flanges 3' and l. Projecting from either end of :thebase plate :2 are the tengues fi, 3, '7 and S to which the trolley and Y-Y :are secured by means ot'rlamping members 9. -The construction of the arms 5,13, 7 and 8 and clamping members 9 are not detailed as various terms of these which'are wellhnownte the tradeand in common use eveiy day. and l'dmvemar'le no claim for any specific construction of these arms and clamping: members; To the body member are secured eye members 10 by means of which the-device may be supported amtlheld ricidly in positionby means of stranded cable. etcq sccured thereto.

Near the center of the body member and projecting at right angles to 'the base member 2 is a "post orsimilar rigid member 11. To oneend ofeach of the arm membersii and 7;is rigidly-secured one end of the flat spring" members 12 and 13 respectively. The "other end of each of these springs presses against the member 11, and is held under a suflicient tension to maintain the 11 but the adjacent ends of the springs 12 and 13 are each. free to be moved in a direction away from the/post 11 and independently of each other. The distance hetween the flanges 3 to Fig. 3, assumlng that a trolley wheel leirides along the trolley wire .1 in the direc-' tion of the arrow A, when it has le'it the arm 6 it will engage with the spring 12 and the flange l and as its travel proceeds it will force the spring 12 to the right as shown on account of its engagement with the rigid flange el, and when it has reached the center of the device the groove will pass over the.

member 11 and straddle the spring 13 which will guide the wheel on to the arm 7 thereby maintaining the path of travel of the trolley wheel in the direction of the arrows A-A and from the wire Y on to the wire Y. :At-ter the trolley wheel 14: has passed on to the spring 18 the spring 12 will return to its normal position with its nner end 111 engagement with the mem ber 11. v V

In Fig. 1- is shown the operation. of the device when the travel of the wheel is along the wire X-X in the direction of the arrows B-B. Here the operation is the same as that described in Fig. 3 excepting that the trolley (wheel operates thespring 13 and the spring 12 guides the wheel on to the arm and prevents its engaging with the arm 6 and passing on to the wire Y.

In'Fig. 5 l have shown a schematic loop arrangement of the trolley wire whereby thetrolley bus is permitted to make a'complete turn at its destination ready to make a return trip. Here are shown the trolley wires spaced apart and forming the loop arrangement stated. As .these wires are of opposite polarities, it is necessary at certain points 'to introduce the section insulators C and D in order to prevent short circuits ing. At the turnout points are shown the frogs or switches F and G. These devices are also constructed; with arms'lh lfi and 17 to which the trolley wires are secured and between the arms 15 and 17 is a spring member 18 having one end rigidly secured to the arm 17 and the other end lightly pressing against the arm'15. Where the two conductors cross is a crossing member I-l similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

A. trolley wheel entering upon the wire Xlwill follow along the'path and in the directionof the arrows I, J, K, L and leave the-loop by the trolley wire Y. In this operationthe trolleywheel would be guided along the switch F in the proper direction by the spring 1 8 and back down to the trolley wire Y through the switch wherethespring 18*would be depressed.

The trolley wheel which engaged with the spring 18 and the switch G the crossing H the spring 12 wouldbe flecled and asthe wheel'continued to travel conductor Y 7 to make the loopwould take the path and direction indicated by the arrows I, J,- K and L and leave the loop by the trolley wire or conductor X. In this case the would each' guide one or the trolley wheels on to the arm 17 and when one of the trolley wheelsreached it would engage with the spring 13 and low the trolley wire in the dircctionottthe arrow l and when it again reached the cross ing the spring 13 would be'depressed and the spring 12 wouldguide the trolley wheelv in the direction of the arrow L. 7 When the wheel reachedthe switchlf the spring "18' would be deflected permitting the wheel t pass on to the arm 15 and from th reto the trolley wire X. 7

The use of the two pole arrangement fiOl collecting current for use on trolley busses in which the trolley bus'is permitted to more.

at i. hi to either side of the trolley conductor has brought into use, under some conditions,

a trolley collector whiehis tree to swivel in atthe time the car commenced either directionabout a vertical axisancl when such a device is used, unless there is proper guiding means, the collecting element:

will pivot ireelywhen it ispassing over a crossing or switch of the usual type of con struction and. therefore, guiding means must he used which will make the direction of movement of the current collector positive .as to the direction in which itshould move.

tion and shown in the accompanying drawing will permit the current collector to maintain the proper direction oftravel.

llhere are, of'course, many modifications le in my inventionwhich 'l he arrangement described in. thisspeeilicm which may be in-..

he aPDfll'Q-llt to those milled in the art and the principle 'tl erect may he applied to other devices o'l? a-siinilarnature than that specifically ."et l orth, herein and L therefore do not wish to be limited other than bythe following claims.

.1 claim: r

'l. A trolley switch comprising a'b'ody member, two pairs of arms secured to the body member with one arm of each pair oppositely disposed and in linefwith the other arm otthc pair tlforguiding a current collector from a trolley wire ontefthe body member and vice versa and resilient guide 'memhers having one end seenredto one ot the a ms of each pair and having their free ends movable laterally in one d rection only. 2. A; trolley switch compris ng a body member having flanges forming a passage to uide passing current. collector. two pairs a V i. I i of a1 as secured to the body member with one arm at each pair at opposite ends of p the passage having eacharm, in line with one ot-the opposite arms andresilient member,

member, two pairs of guide members having one end rigidly se cured to one of the arms at each end of the passage and their free ends engaging a stop each resilient guide yieldable laterally in one direction only to the passage of the eurrentcollector in one direction only.

3. A trolley switch comprising a body member, two pairs of'guide arms secured to' the bod member with the arms of each pair oppositely disposed for guiding a current collector onto and oil of the body member, and resilient guide members having one end secured to one of the arms of each pair and having their free ends adjacent and movable laterally in one direction only.

l. A trolley switch comprising a body member, two pairs of guide arms secured to the body member with the arms of each pair oppositely disposed for guiding a current collector onto and of? of the body member,

and resilient guide members having one end secured to one of'the arms of each pair and having their free ends adjacent and movable laterally in one and the same 7 5. A. trolley switch comprising a body member, two pairs of guide arms secured tothe body member with the-arms of each pair oppositely disposed for guiding a current collector onto and oil of the body member, resilient guide members having one end secured to one of the arms of each pair and having their able laterally and means engaging the free 7 ends to prevent lateral movement in one direction only.

6. A. trolley switch comprising a body guide arms secured to the body iember with the armsof each pair oppositely disposed for guiding a current collector onto and-off of the body member,

resilient guide members having one end secured to one of the arms of each pair and having their free ends adjacent and mov able laterally and means to prevent lateral '2'. A trolley switch comprising a body member, two pairs of guide arms secured to the body member and having the arms of each pair oppositely'disposed and in line for guiding a current collector onto and off of the body member, resilient guide members having one end secured to one of the arms. of each pair and their free ends adjacent and movable laterally in one direction to guide the current collector from the body member onto one of the arms and means on the body member to engage the current collector to force it into engagement with one of the resilient guide members to deflect the same laterally and into guiding relation with the other resilient member for the purpose described.

8. A trolley switch comprising a body direction only.

free ends adjacent and movs her and projecting therefrom at a Inembentwo pairs of guide arms secured to the body member with the arms of each pair oppositely disposed for guiding a current collector onto and oil of the body member,

and resilient guide members each having one pendently of each other and means to engage the-current collector to force it into engagement with one of the resilient guide members to deflect the same laterally and into guiding relation with the other resilient member for the purpose described.

10. A trolley switch comprising a body member having a channel therethrough and open at opposite ends two arms secured to the body member at each open end and pro jecting into the channel, the opposite arms being in alinement such that stiuight line connecting two of the arms will cross a straight line coni'iecting the o he two arms. a yielding guide member having one end secured to one of the arms tor guiding the current collector through the channel and onto the diametrically opposite arm. and a. yielding guide member secured to one of the arms at the opposite opening of the channel for guiding the current col ector through the channel in the opposite direcopposite arms being in :ilinen'ient such that a line connecting two ot' the alined arms will.

cross a line connecting the other two alined arms, a member secured to the body mem point coinciding with the point of crossing of the said connecting lines and flexible guide Tl'lGIIllJElS secured to one of the arms at end of the channel and having their free ends terminating at practically'the point of crossing of said connecting lines and tree to yield laterallyunder pressure of the current collector in one direction and held from-lateral yielding in the other direction by the aforesaid projecting member.

In testimony whereof I affix my si ature.

SAMU EL '8. MATTERS. 

